The Anker Soundcore Space A40 wireless earphones are now back to their Black Friday and Cyber Monday price, dropping from $80 to $45. These earbuds have made it onto our list of the best budget wireless earbuds and won first place. This pair of earbuds boasts some great features, such as sound customization using the Soundcore app and multipoint connectivity, which lets them connect to two devices at once. Of course, they have active noise cancellation (ANC) to block out background noises. The ANC is unexpected for headphones at this price range, and its adaptive and has adjustable levels. The sound profile of the Soundcore Space A40 earbuds is warm with a boost in the upper-bass, but the higher frequencies have some cutting, which can reduce the clarity of some finer details. However, the bass profile is still pleasant and not overwhelming like many cheaper earphones have. The earbuds have a battery life of 10 hours on a full charge, but the case adds 50 hours more, an impressive number. The case also supports wireless charging. The main downside is that quality when using them for voice calls isnt great, but if you stick to tunes youll likely be happy. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/our-favorite-budget-wireless-earbuds-are-down-to-a-record-low-price-154206363.html?src=rss

The AI Opportunities Action Plan wants to turbocharge AI.

Synthesia CEO Victor Riparbelli told CNBC his company isn't "dependent" on venture capital, unlike companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic.

All characters in Marvel Rivals fit into one of three roles: vanguards (tanks), duelists (damage), and strategists (support). While all characters can help out their allies or deal damage, these three roles help you differentiate the heroes and diversify team comps.In addition to a new battle pass and skins, season 1 added two new characters to the game (a duelist and strategist), bringing the total current roster to 35 characters. Later in the season, according to the Marvel Rivals roadmap, two more (a duelist and vanguard) will join. In this Marvel Rivals guide, well walk you through all characters in Marvel Rivals, broken up by role, detailing the games full roster. And if youre looking for the best characters, see our Marvel Rivals tier list.All vanguards in Marvel RivalsThere are currently eight vanguards in Marvel Rivals as of the start of season 1 and weve listed them all below.The Thing from the Fantastic Four will join the roster as a vanguard later in season 1.CharacterDescriptionDate addedBruce Banner (Hulk)A transforming tank who's able to leverage massive health bars and multiple lives to stay in the battle.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Captain AmericaA dueling tank who's able to go toe-to-toe with some duelists and strategists, making him an effective assassin who can also defend his allies.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Doctor StrangeA shield-first tank, who's able to protect allies and carry them around the map quickly via portals.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024GrootA wall-focused tank, able to build massive barriers that protect himself and his allies.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024MagnetoA powerful tank that uses shields to block damage, which he can then redirect at his enemies.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Peni ParkerA defensive tank who's able to lock down an area with mines and healing webs.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024ThorA high-damage tank who's able to weave his abilities together to quickly kill enemies while keeping himself alive.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024VenomA highly mobile tank who's able to dive into the enemy backline and live to get back to his team.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024All duelists in Marvel RivalsThere are currently 19 duelists in Marvel Rivals as of the start of season 1 and weve listed them all below.Mister Fantastic from the Fantastic Four is the latest duelist to join the roster. His brother-in-law and fellow Fantastic Four teammate, the Human Torch, will become the 20th duelist later in season 1.CharacterDescriptionDate addedBlack PantherA diving duelist able to assassinate squishy characters with ranged spear attacks and melee claws.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Black WidowA sniper character who's able to scope in and deal with squishy characters in the backline.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024HawkeyeA sniper with the capability to one-shot squishy heroes with well-placed arrows.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024HelaA long-range precision character who's able to quickly destroy foes with knives to the head and explosives from the air.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Iron FistA diving assassin who's able to quickly push his way behind tanks and eliminate duelists and strategists in seconds.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Iron ManAn aerial damage dealer able to rain down explosive shots and powerful lasers on unsuspecting enemies.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024MagikA melee duelist who uses portals to slide in and out of the enemy backline and assassinate squishy characters.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Mister FantasticA stretchy duelist who's able to punch from afar and become very tanky for short periods of time.Season 1, Jan. 10, 2025Moon KnightA damage dealer that specializes in area of effect attacks, and is able to ricochet boomerangs between enemies.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024NamorA pet-focused duelist who's able to throw out octopuses to do his bidding and take down powerful enemies from afar.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024PsylockeA swift duelist who's able to use her ranged attacks to deal damage from afar, while also dashing into the backline.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Scarlet WitchAn up-close duelist who's able to drain the life from enemies before disintegrating them with her one-shot ultimate.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Spider-ManA mobile duelist who's able to weave in and out of the enemy team, getting quick kills before retreating to safety.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Squirrel GirlAn area-damage focused duelist, who's able to launch explosive nuts into the enemy team and rack up big damage.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Star-LordA mobile duelist who's able to fly around the battlefield dealing consistent damage with his dual pistols.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024StormA damage dealer who brings some support-like bonuses to her team and is able to fly around the battlefield at will.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024The PunisherA more traditional shooter character who's able to use his powerful arsenal of weapons to take enemies down.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Winter SoldierA high-damage character who's able to use his ultimate multiple times in a row to secure kill after kill.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024WolverineA tank-busting duelist who's able to survive for long periods of time and shred the health of bigger targets.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024All strategists in Marvel RivalsThere are currently 8 strategists in Marvel Rivals as of the start of season 1 and weve listed them all below.Invisible Woman from the Fantastic Four is the latest strategist to join the roster, and did so at the start of season 1.CharacterDescriptionDate addedAdam WarlockA healer that specializes in reviving himself and allies with his powerful ultimate.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Cloak & DaggerA duel support who's able to swap between a damage-dealing character and a pure healer mid-battle.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Invisible WomanAn invisible healer who's able to shield allies and push away enemies.Season 1, Jan. 10, 2025Jeff the Land SharkA healer who's able to give allies health and movement speed boosts while swallowing enemies whole.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024LokiA trickster healer who's able to dish out decent damage while being very difficult to track down.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Luna SnowA popstar healer who's able to freeze enemies, and both heal and damage boost allies with her powerful ultimate.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024MantisA support that is able to heal allies as well as boost their damage for long periods of time.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024Rocket RaccoonA gadget-focused support who can deal decent damage and has the power to resurrect allies.Launch, Dec. 6, 2024For moreMarvel Rivalsguides, heres a list of all knowncodes, allTeam-Up abilities, allmaps and modes, and a look at the gamesroadmap.

Longsys NFC-enabled SSD lets users unlock hidden storage with a simple tap of an NFC device.

As OpenAI pushes toward a for-profit structure, the company is adding Adebayo Ogunlesi, founding partner of Global Infrastructure Partners, to its board.

While I was working on a post about the best cleaning influencers to follow on Instagram in the wake of the news that TikTok is going to become unavailable in the U.S. at the end of this week, I noticed something: Some of the most popular creators in the space aren't making mini videos on Reels; instead, they're operating over on YouTube, where they have more options for presenting their tips and inspiration. Here are some of the best ones you can follow now. Midwest Magic Cleaning I love Midwest Magic Cleaning videos because they're completely attainable. You're not watching someone in a palatial home use the most expensive vacuum on the market, but rather a down-to-earth guy who takes turns being inspirational and relatable while teaching you cleaning basics and doing a little home reno. Alsoand this is importantthe videos are funny. Aurikatariina You've probably seen Aurikatariina's videos crossposted on Facebook or X, but she's worth a follow on her own because she cleans other people's homes for free. While your house may not be at the level of disrepair the ones she deals with are, you can pick up a lot of great tips from her. She cleans with a positive attitude and a lot of empathy, which I find inspiring when I watch her joyfully clear away trash and share her preferred products. When she uses a product, she even puts a little graphic of exactly what it looks like in its packaging on screen, so you know precisely what to buy for similar results. This Crazy Life Another channel full of relatable content is This Crazy Life, where the creator, Amanda, gives a realistic look at how she cleans the home she shares with her family, including three young sons. She offers a variety of content types, from testing out "viral hacks" to showcasing how she refreshes different rooms around her house on a budget. Personally, I'm tired of unrelatable influencers (at least in the cleaning space) and enjoy seeing how real people with normal lives and jobs navigate staying organized on top of their other responsibilities, so these videos are great. Clean My Space On Clean My Space, you can find the answer to any cleaning question. Seriously, this channel has it all. Where other cleaning channels focus on the satisfying clips of creators wiping down grimy sinks or transforming rooms, this one functions kind of like a how-to guide, with dedicated videos for everything from cleaning a glass stove to making your own cleaning solutions. The best organizing channels on YouTubeI also love watching videos of people organizing, not just cleaning, their homes; for me, that's where real inspiration comes in. It's satisfying to see someone wipe away some grime, but in most cases, I already know how to do that. Seeing how someone organizes their stuff, however, can give me all kinds of new ideas. iOrganize iOrganize is my favorite organizer on the internetnot really a category of influencer I ever thought I'd have a "favorite" of before I started writing about cleaning and organizing, but here we are. On the channel, Christen Fackler offers direct, no-nonsense advise on how to rethink the way you organize your home. The clips are filmed simply and all the focus is on the tips, which is refreshing and gets straight to the point. The Carla Project Another genre I enjoy involves one organizer going into other people's homes and teaching them how to declutter and organize. That's what happens over on The Carla Project, where you get to see a bunch of different living spaces and can find clips that align with your exact needs, from "small kitchens" to "crowded closets." The creator, Carla, also shows how she's getting on in her own personal organizing and decorating projects. The Secret Slob The Secret Slob uses and demonstrates the FlyLady cleaning method, so you know she knows what she's talking about, since that's one of the best organizing techniques out there. Steph, the creator, gives gentle guidance on how to get started with a cleaning technique, how to prioritize peace through cleaning, and how to stick with a habit. She shares before-and-afters as well as lessons she's learned while working through the FlyLady system, all in a way that feels accessible.

Sony has revealed a first proper look at Until Dawn, the movie adaptation of Supermassives choose-your-own-adventure horror game. Rather than offering up a teaser or a trailer, the company has opted to unleash more of a vignette, with the films writer and director explaining how their project differs from the game.As mentioned during Sonys CES 2025 keynote last week, Until Dawn has a new story and different characters from the original work. Director David F. Sandberg (Lights Out, Shazam!) says the film has sort of the same tone, the same vibe, but it expands on the universe.In the game, the characters' fates are determined by your narrative choices, many of which lead to grisly deaths for them. There will be something similar at play here, as things start over and the characters get to try again after everything goes to hell, Sandberg explained. Every time they come back to life, its like theyre in a new horror genre, the director added. To survive, they have to make it until dawn.Its an interesting attempt to replicate the structure of a video game, in which you can just start over if things arent going your way. That said, the premise does make Until Dawn sound a little like the very fun Happy Death Day, in which the main character is killed every day but keeps coming back to life until she can figure out the identity of the murderer.Until Dawn is set to hit theaters on April 25. Sony says a proper trailer is coming soon. In the meantime, you might like to check out the remake of the game, which arrived on PS5 and PC in October.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/sony-offers-a-first-look-at-the-until-dawn-movie-151305432.html?src=rss

Honor's latest flagship, the Honor Magic 7 Pro, has finally launched outside of China.

In the past year, all sorts of companies have retreated from their commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion, from masculine brands like John Deere and Harley-Davidson to massive companies like Walmart and McDonalds. Many of these moves have followed public pressure and boycotts (namely a social media campaign mounted by conservative activist Robby Starbuck), but have also been catalyzed by a shifting legal and political climate after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in 2023.Now some of the biggest players in the tech industrywhich has long touted the value of diversity, equity, and inclusionare making similar cuts to their diversity initiatives. Within the past few days, both Meta and Amazon have confirmed significant changes to their DEI programs. These decisions may seem, in part, politically motivated: Last week, Meta also relaxed its hate speech policies, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with President-elect Donald Trump.But as Fast Company has previously reported, the tech industry has been quietly divesting from DEI work for some time now, as layoffs have targeted those teams and companies have failed to make meaningful progress on the commitments they made in 2020. Large tech employers like Google and Meta have chipped away at their DEI work in recent years, trimming headcount and scaling down programs focused on the recruitment and career development of underrepresented workers.At the same time, some of the changes companies are making to their corporate diversity programs seem designed to rebrand the work and move away from the language of DEI, which has become a political football and target of lawsuits by right-wing activists. Since 2023, companies like J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs have made changes to their DEI policies in response to the threat of legal action; others have stopped using certain DEI terms like equity. Meta acknowledged this was driving some of its DEI changes when the company noted that the legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing, per an internal memo obtained by Axios.(Meta, Apple, Google, and Microsoft declined to comment on the record when Fast Company asked about current or planned changes to DEI programs. Meta has confirmed that the company is dissolving many of its DEI initiatives.)Heres a closer look at the scope of the recent DEI cuts, and what they could mean for the future of diversity work at Big Tech companies:Meta According to Axios, Meta will no longer have a team that explicitly works on DEI. Chief diversity officer Maxine Williamswho has been at the company for more than a decadewill move into a new role on the accessibility and engagement team. In an internal memo, HR chief Janelle Gale wrote, The term DEI has ... become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others. Gale also noted that the company will be revamping its DEI training programs to focus instead on how to apply fair and consistent practices that mitigate bias for all, no matter your background.Meta has said that it will no longer prioritize sourcing suppliers from diverse businesses and is also changing its approach to hiring. While Meta will no longer employ its diverse slate approach to hiringwhich ensured a diverse set of candidates were considered for each rolethe company will continue to source candidates from different backgrounds.Perhaps most notably, however, Meta says it will no longer have representation goalssomething many large tech companies introduced a decade ago when they started publishing diversity reports. But this isnt actually a new change: Meta claims to have already eliminated representation goals for women and ethnic minorities. Having goals can create the impression that decisions are being made based on race or gender, Gale wrote. While this has never been our practice, we want to eliminate any impression of it. This framing indicates that Meta is making some of these changes explicit to protect against legal liabilityand, it seems, to distance itself from the term DEI.AmazonLast week, Amazon revealed it had already been making changes to its DEI programs, though the company has not made clear exactly what that entailed. As Bloomberg recently reported, the changes were disclosed in a year-end memo by HR executive Candi Castleberry, who said Amazon had evaluated hundreds of programs across the company and would be winding down outdated programs and materials by the end of 2024.Rather than have individual groups build programs, we are focusing on programs with proven outcomesand we also aim to foster a more truly inclusive culture,she added. Castleberry was previously the head of global diversity, equity, and inclusion at Amazon, but her title changed in 2023, along with the name of the department. (Castleberry is now the VP of inclusive experiences and technology.)Amazon still has employee resource groups in place (which some employers have recently eliminated or restructured), but the company has altered its public language on diversity. On a page that outlines its positions, Amazon removed sections that focused on Equity for Black people and LGBTQ+ rights, as well as specific references to transgender rights. Prior to this change, the page had clearly stated the companys support for legislation that addressed misconduct and racial bias in policing, efforts to protect and expand voting rights, and initiatives that provide better health and educational outcomes for Black people, as well as protections for the transgender community. There was also a mention of the gender transition benefits offered at Amazon, which has since been removed. (The Washington Post reported that some employees were concerned whether that shift could impact access to benefits, though Amazon has said those benefits are still in place.)Amazon did not comment on specific cuts to its DEI programs, but spokesperson Kelly Nantel told Fast Company that the positions page is edited from time to time to ensure that it reflects updates weve made to various programs and positions.Amazon is, however, still using the language of DEI to some degree: A section on its positions page titled diversity, equity, and inclusion claims that the company is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive company that helps us build the best range of products and services for our broad customer base. ... We also believe that inequitable treatment of anyoneincluding Black people, LGBTQ+ people, Asians, women, and othersis unacceptable, and we advocate for policies designed to remove barriers to equity and create an inclusive environment for all employees.In her memo, Castleberry also suggested Amazon was still committed to diversity work: We believe this is important work, so well keep investing in programs that help us reflect those audiences, help employees grow, thrive, and connect, and we remain dedicated to delivering inclusive experiences for customers, employees, and communities around the world.AppleApple is currently facing a shareholder proposal that aims to undermine its DEI programs, brought by the same conservative think tank that recently submitted a similar proposal at Costco (where it was rejected). The group is taking aim at Apples diversity policies, arguing that DEI poses litigation, reputational, and financial risks to companies.So far, however, the company has stood its ground, citing its well-established compliance program and arguing that the proposal inappropriately attempts to restrict its business operations. Apples board has urged shareholders to vote against the proposal during the companys annual meeting in February. At Apple, we believe that how we conduct ourselves is as critical to Apples success as making the best products in the world, the board said in a proxy filing. We seek to conduct business ethically, honestly, and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and our Business Conduct and Compliance policies are foundational to how we do business. And we strive to create a culture of belonging where everyone can do their best work.